AMIR’S PALACE, BOKHARA

Kagan, the station for Bokhara, belongs to the first class. It is situated 1182 versts from Krasnovodsk, 565 versts from Tashkent and ranks third among the stations of the Central Asian Railway, only yielding pride of place to Krasnovodsk and Askhabad. The station is erected upon ground specially granted by the Amir for the purpose, the Russian settlement of New Bokhara also being placed at this point. The native town of Bokhara, the capital of the Khanate and connected with the main station by a branch line, is 13 versts distant. It is the most important centre in the Khanate and maintains commercial relations with Moscow, Nijninovgorod, Lodz, Siberia, India, Persia and Afghanistan, the annual value of its business running into many millions of roubles. There are several banks but only two of importance—the Russian Imperial Bank, and the Russo-Chinese Bank. The residence of the Russian Political Agent is in New Bokhara and the Amir also has a place there, constructed in hybrid Byzantine style.

The population of the Russian settlement, returned at 6000 inhabitants and drawn from various nationalities, includes the following European and Asiatic elements:

Russians378
Poles40
Germans24
Greeks.8
Armenians124
Hindus33
Afghans24
Sarts681
Persians252
Kirghiz92
Jews345

The remainder is made up of subjects of the Amir. The Russian quarter also contains 130 brick bungalows, an hospital with twenty beds, barracks for the 3rd and 4th Companies of the Second Railway Battalion, numerous shops and military go-downs.

The trade passing through Bokhara is very comprehensive. It embraces cotton, skins, wool, cotton prints, sugar and a large importation of Russian manufactures. The bazaars of the native city show a very varied assortment of silken fabrics, copper-ware, silver-work, carpets, leather and weapons, attracting traders from India and Persia, besides the Turcoman and Khivan districts.

The figures for the year under review are:

Passengers.
Arrivals. Departures.
40,468 42,660
Imports.
Sugar (refined) 27,455  poods.
Sugar (sanded) 50,328 ”
Kerosene 59,580 ”
Naphtha ⎫ 41,462 ”
(crude) ⎬
(refuse) ⎭
Yarn and thread 13,998 ”
Rice 346,940 ”
Green tea 61,924 ”
Black tea 21,711 ”
Iron 17,628 ”
Russian manufactures 154,272 ”
Various goods 1,955,519 ”
Exports.
Cotton 456,584  poods.
Wool 67,144 ”
Skins 47,042 ”
Fruits (dried) 111,104 ”
Raisins 27,444 ”
Wine grapes 14,408 ”
Carpets 4,488 ”
Caracal 32,621 ”
Goods (various) 346,927 ”